Here’s one simple question which Zwifters disagree on: can we draft while in workout mode?
A very recent Zwift Riders thread, in fact, shows the level of confusion on this topic. Or check out this Zwift forum thread from a year ago. Some Zwifters say yes. Others say no. So what’s the answer?
Well, the answer is yes–we can draft in workout mode.
Why the Confusion?
One reason why Zwifters may believe there is no draft is that the “Close the Gap” message is turned off while doing a workout. In normal riding (outside of workouts), this message is meant to encourage riders to get closer to the rider ahead in order to enhance the draft effect, but in an ERG workout we can’t modulate our power in order to catch a rider up the road, so the message would only be an annoyance.
There’s also confusion on this point simply because the question has never been clearly answered in Zwift forums and groups, as far as we can tell. So today we’re providing a clear answer!
Prove It
Don’t believe there’s drafting in workouts? Here are a few screenshots from a recent test we did in Richmond. One rider pulled at 300 watts steady, the other was in workout mode, doing whatever wattage was required for testing.
Here you can see our drafting rider sticking on the wheel of the 300 watt domestique while only putting out 228 watts. This lines up with our free riding drafting tests, showing that the draft effect in workouts is the same as any other ride type in Zwift.
We then put the drafting rider on a TT bike – and he quickly dropped off the back at 260 watts. Which of course is correct, because TT bikes can’t draft in Zwift!
I never understood why people claimed there was no drafting in workout mode. My experience has always been different… it’s nice to see some comfirmation after all these years.
Nice to see it confirmed, great work! The mini sticky groups you get with people also in workout mode had always made me believe it.
Can I draft off someone who is in training mode when I’m in free ride mode?!
Yes. Except if you are is on the TT bike.
You can definitely modulate power in ERG mode. Just make very sharp spikes in your cadence for 5-10 seconds and then back to normal. For instance if you are riding at 85rpm very quickly increase your cadence to 110rpm. You won’t close a big gap, but you can absolutely shut down a small gap if you really want to. Maybe that is a trainer-by-trainer basis but it takes a second for the ERG to start catching up to a power spike that big so you do gain some time.
It has always been obvious the draft effect worked in ERG mode. However the bigger question for me is why the heck anyone would care? You’re working to a set number of watts, so why worry?
XP is gained by distance and nothing else. You’ll potentially gain more distance/XP drafting on a populated (and flat) Tempus Fugit workout than you would on any other course. Hitting two birds with one workout stone.
It’s probably worth pointing out that this website also contributes to the confusion.
Only 2 months ago, “Why you’re getting beat by riders with lower w/kg” (6 Jan, 2020) stated:
“Note: you cannot draft in Zwift on a TT frame or during a structured workout. Others may draft behind you, but you will not receive any draft benefit.”
Ha! Yipes. Well, there you go. I just deleted that snippet.
“… in an ERG workout we can’t modulate our power in order to catch a rider up the road, so the message would only be an annoyance.“
I can confirm – I run TrainerRoad in parallel with Zwift, with the former controlling the trainer and managing the workout. The “close the gap” messages *are* annoying. Although by the end of 3x20min at threshold, you don’t really see them anymore through the lactic haze.
On a route like Tempus Fugit that has become incredibly busy at the times I ride, I wonder whether choosing a road frame over a TT frame would now result in more distance travelled (+ more xp/drops earned) during a workout simply due to the draft effect. I might attempt a comparison…
I’ve actually tested this a few times, with the same question! I found when Watopia had 4k+ riders on it, road bikes covered more distance than TT frames on Tempus Fugit. Dropping below 3k or so and they no longer did.
Far from an exact science, but there you go.